Social and Political

Radiofarda – In an apparently orchestrated move, Iranian hardliners and their affiliated media have launched a strong propaganda campaign to convince the public that the coronavirus crisis in the country is the result of a specific strain of the virus used for a “bio-terror attack” by the United States against Iran. The conspiracy theory appears to be finding some supporters …

Reuters -The Trump administration will soon issue advisories warning shippers, port officials and insurance companies against the practice of storing Iranian oil and avoiding U.S. sanctions on Iran, a senior State Department official said on Monday. “We will target and designate anybody that stores Iranian oil, petrochemicals or refined petroleum in violation of U.S. sanctions, no matter where they are,” …

Radiofarda – In a letter to Iran’s Chief Justice the mother of Narges Mohmmadi, a jailed human rights activist, has warned about ill-treatment as well as physical and sexual threats against her daughter by another inmate. According to the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) in her letter Ozra Bazargan has said that the inmate who has …

Radiofarda — Spokesman of Iran’s Health Ministry on Monday said 20 people who drank alcohol tainted with methanol (wood spirit) in Khuzestan Province have died of alcohol poisoning. So far coronavirus (COVID-19) has killed 18 in the southwestern province. According to Kianoush Jahanpour drinking alcoholic drinks containing methanol has poisoned at least 331 and killed 20 in the past 24 …

Al-Arabia – The United Kingdom’s message to its regional allies in the Gulf region, as well as its European and North American partners, is that the world cannot afford to see Iran acquire nuclear weapons, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a special interview with Al Arabiya’s London Bureau Chief Rima Maktabi. https://vid.alarabiya.net/2020/03/09/raab99252ade/raab99252ade___raab99252ade_video.mp4 “We want to see Iran come …

Iran-HRM – While young Iranian nurses are dying due to shortages of face masks and essential medical equipment, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council official says Iran is prepared to help Iraq in fighting the Covid-19. In his talks on Sunday, March 8, with the Iraqi National Security Advisor Faleh Fayyaz, Ali Shamkhani noting the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Iran and Iraq, …

Iran-HRM – Another physician died in Rasht due to Corona infection. The number of physicians and nurses who have died in Iran due to Covid-19 so far reaches 12. Saturday night, March 7, the official IRNA news agency reported the death of Mohammad Mohammadi, an experienced physician in Rasht, due to Corona infection. A general physician, Mohammad Ali Rabii, who …

RFL/RE – Iran’s health workers are on the front lines of the country’s battle with the coronavirus, which according to official figures has claimed the lives of 234 Iranians and infected more than 7,000. But many of them lack protective wear to keep them safe while treating infected patients. The situation is said to be particularly dire for health-care workers …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently called the coronavirus a “blessing.” The situation has become so perilous that some members of the Iranian parliament have finally come forward and criticized the theocratic establishment for failing to address the issue adequately. The Iranian leaders’ cover-up and lies are some the underlying reasons behind the spread of coronavirus to …

Al-Monitor – As the coronavirus continues to spread in Iran, some officials have called for more restrictive measures and even quarantine of highly infected areas in order to stop the spread of the virus that is overwhelming hospitals across the country. According to the spokesman of Iran’s Health Ministry, Kianoush Jahanpour, in the last 24 hours there have been 595 new cases and 43 deaths. …